Cherry Grove & Fire Island Pines | koitz Photo Archives
From Cherry Grove to the Pines: Two Communities, One Archive
Fire Island is more than a destination. For generations, it has been a place of refuge, freedom, creativity, and belonging for LGBTQ+ people. At its heart are two legendary communities —Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines— each with its own distinct personality, history, and traditions.
For koitz, a documentary photographer who has spent years photographing life on Fire Island, these communities are not separate stories. They are chapters of the same living archive.
Through thousands of photographs, koitz has documented the people, landscapes, celebrations, and everyday moments that define life in Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines. Together, these images form an evolving visual record of one of the world's most significant LGBTQ+ cultural landscapes.
Cherry Grove: Where Community Began
Founded in the early twentieth century, Cherry Grove became one of America's first places where LGBTQ+ people could gather openly and build a community. Long before acceptance became more widespread, the Grove offered something rare—a place where people could live authentically.
Its narrow wooden boardwalks, colorful cottages, beach gatherings, and legendary drag culture have shaped generations of artists, writers, performers, and activists.
For a documentary photographer, Cherry Grove offers more than beautiful scenery. It offers stories.
Morning conversations on front porches.
Neighbors greeting one another on the boardwalk.
Sunsets shared with friends.
These everyday moments often become the most enduring photographs.
Fire Island Pines: A Community That Continues to Evolve
Just across the harbor lies Fire Island Pines, internationally known for its modern architecture, vibrant social life, and rich cultural history.
The Pines has long attracted artists, designers, photographers, and professionals from around the world, creating a unique blend of creativity and community.
Its iconic boardwalks, striking beach houses, and expansive dunes provide an unforgettable setting, but the true character of the Pines comes from its people.
Every summer brings new visitors, while longtime residents return to reconnect with lifelong friends, creating traditions that continue across generations.
One Island, Two Perspectives
Visitors often compare Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines.
In reality, they complement one another.
Cherry Grove offers intimacy, artistic expression, and historic charm.
Fire Island Pines reflects architectural elegance, cultural evolution, and contemporary LGBTQ+ life.
Together they tell the complete story of Fire Island.
For Koitz, photographing both communities means documenting how they intersect—through friendships, celebrations, shared history, and events like The Invasion of the Pines, where the journey from Cherry Grove to the Pines has become an enduring symbol of unity, resilience, and joy.
Building a Living Archive
Unlike individual photographs, long-term documentary projects reveal how communities change over time.
Children become adults.
New friendships are formed.
Landmarks evolve.
Fashion changes.
Traditions continue.
This continuity is what transforms a collection of images into a visual archive.
Over the years, koitz has photographed thousands of moments across Fire Island, creating a body of work that reflects not only major events but also the quieter rhythms of daily life.
These photographs preserve memories that might otherwise fade.
More Than Documentary Photography
Photography can be beautiful.
It can also be historical.
As a Fire Island photographer, koitz approaches every image with the understanding that today's photographs may become tomorrow's historical records.
A spontaneous portrait.
Friends laughing on a boardwalk.
A shared glance during sunset.
The arrival of the ferry during The Invasion.
These moments tell future generations how a community lived, celebrated, and cared for one another.
Why Archives Matter
LGBTQ+ history has too often been overlooked or lost.
Photographs help ensure those stories remain visible.
Every image contributes to a broader understanding of the people who built communities like Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines—places where countless individuals found acceptance, creativity, and chosen family.
An archive is not simply a collection of photographs.
It is a collective memory.
It reminds us where we have been and helps us understand where we are going.
Fire Island Through the Lens of koitz
For nearly two decades, koitz has returned season after season to photograph Fire Island, building relationships within the communities and documenting their evolution with sensitivity and respect.
His work goes beyond recording events. It captures atmosphere, emotion, and the connections that make Fire Island unlike anywhere else.
From sunrise walks along the beach to celebrations on the harbor, every photograph adds another piece to an ongoing visual story.
Explore the Archive
The photographs of Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines are more than individual images. Together, they create a lasting archive of LGBTQ+ history, community, and culture.
Whether you have spent summers on Fire Island or are discovering these remarkable communities for the first time, this collection invites you to experience their stories through documentary photography.
Explore the complete Fire Island archive at koitzPhoto.com and discover the people, places, and traditions that continue to shape one of the world's most iconic LGBTQ+ destinations.